Employment (Hansard, 28 July 1975)

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing comparable growth or decline in employment in the public and private sectors in Wales since 1960, indicating the main areas of gains and losses.

§ Mr. John Morris
While exact figures are not available relating to the numbers engaged in the public and private sectors in Wales, estimates can be made by categorising industries as being predominantly in one sector or the other. Figures compiled on this basis, showing changes in the estimated employment levels of the two sectors, further subdivided by major industry groups, are given in the following table up to June 1973, the latest date for which information is available.
391W

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF WELSH EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED) IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR INDUSTRIES^*†

Thousands (at June each year

Number of employees Change between Number of employees Change between Number of employees Change between Estimated total change

1960 1969 1960 and 1969 1969 1971 1969 and 1971 1971 1973 1971 and 1973 1960 to 1973

Public sector employment:

Mining and quarrying 105.3 57.0 -48.3 57.0 46.7 -10.3 48.8 43.3 -5.5 -64.1

Manufacturing:

Iron and steel — 74.6 +74.6 74.6 70.2 +4.4 72.8 69.5 -3.3 +66.9

Other manufacturing 1.2 1.0 -0.2 1.0 1.1 +0.1 1.4 1.3 -0.1 -0.2

Gas, electricity and water 19.6 22.9 +3.3 22.9 21.6 -1.3 20.3 19.2 -1.1 +0.9

Transport and communication 64.7 49.4 -15.3 48.8 49.6 +1.1 47.4 44.3 -3.1 -17.3

Professional and scientific services 83.3 116.1 +32.8 116.3 120.1 +3.8 124.4 133.6 +9.2 +45.8

Public administration and defence (excluding members of H.M. Forces) 62.0 65.9 +3.9 66.0 63.9 -2.1 78.4 82.3 +3.9 +5.7

Total 336.1‡ 386.9‡ +50.8‡ 386.6 372.2 -13.1 393.5 393.5 — +37.7‡

Private sector employment:

Agriculture, forestry and fishing 24.7 14.4 -10.3 14.4 12.1 -2.3 28.4 28.5 +0.1 -12.5

Mining and quarrying 7.7 5.3 -2.4 5.3 4.3 +1.0 3.8 3.6 -0.2 -3.6

Manufacturing:

Iron and steel 72.2 — -72.2 — — — — — — -72.2

Other manufacturing 226.3 267.7 +41.4 268.4 280.5 +12.1 261.5 266.1 +4.6 +58.1

Construction 76.1 76.1 — 76.0 77.6 +1.6 77.3 80.8 +3.5 +5.1

Transport and communication. 15.4 16.0 +0.6 16.1 15.6 -0.5 18.0 18.9 +0.9 +1.0

Distributive trades 103.9 95.6 -8.3 101.3 95.4 -5.9 99.6 104.0 +4.4 -9.8

Insurance, banking and finance (and business services) 14.1 16.8 +2.7 19.3 20.1 +0.8 24.1 26.3 +2.2 +5.7

Professional and scientific services 8.4 10.2 +1.8 10.1 10.5 +0.4 10.9 12.9 +2.0 +4.2

Miscellaneous services. 75.9 78.2 +2.3 75.7 76.7 +1.0 80.2 93.1 +12.9 +16.2

Total 624.7‡ 580.32‡ -44.4‡ 586.6 592.3 +6.2 603.8 634.2 +30.4 -7.8‡

^* The public sector is defined as consisting of minimum list headings (1968 SIC) 101, 311 (from 1967), 342, 396 (from 1968), 601–3, 701–2, 706–8, 872, 874, 901, 906.

† Changes both in the classification of industries and the method of compiling employment estimates, from 1971 onwards, make comparison of employment levels between the years 1960 and 1973 difficult. For this reason changes in numbers employed are given only for periods when there are no breaks in the comparability of the series. The total change estimates shown in the final column are the sums of changes for the three periods, and consequently should only be viewed as orders of magnitude.

‡ Overall employment levels in the two sectors during the period 1960 to 1969 are considerably affected by the nationalisation of the steel industry during 1967 and to a far lesser extent by the opening of the Royal Mint in the following year.

392W 393W

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that future editions of the Welsh Digest of Statistics and other publications containing material relating to employment in Wales present such material in a form which enables a distinction to be drawn between public and private sectors.

§ Mr. John Morris
Employment statistics published in both the Digest of Welsh Statistics and Welsh Economic Trends are provided by the Department of Employment and conform to the system of industrial classification adopted for the United Kingdom as a whole. Although estimates can be made by aggregating minimum list headings the current classification does not permit an exact apportionment of employment between public and private sectors. Definitive estimates have only been made so far for the United Kingdom as a whole—Economic Trends No. 255, January 1975—using information obtained from both the Department of Employment and public sector organisations.
If at some time it is possible to produce estimates for Wales I will certainly arrange for these to appear in statistical publications issued by my Department.

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for Wales, of the unfilled vacancies in Wales at the latest convenient date, how many were in the private and the public sectors, respectively.

§ Mr. John Morris
While exact figures are not available relating to the number of unfilled vacancies notified as occurring in the public or private sectors, estimates can be made by categorising industries as being predominantly in one sector or the other. At June 1975, the latest date for which information is available, there were, in the public sector, 1,314 vacancies remaining unfilled at employment officers and 103 remaining unfilled at careers offices. In the private sector 4,612 vacancies remained unfilled at employment offices and 1,194 remained unfilled at careers offices.

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) males and (b) females are employed in the private and public sectors, respectively, in Wales.
394W

§ Mr. John Morris
While exact figures are not available relating to numbers engaged in the public and private sectors in Wales, estimates can be made by categorising industries as being predominantly in one sector or the other. The following figures have been complied on this basis and relate to June 1973, the latest date for which information is available.
Males and females in public and private sector employment in Wales: June 1973:

Thousands

Males Females

Public sector … 251.0 137.0

Private sector … 385.1 227.3

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of those unemployed in Wales, at the latest convenient date, were previously employed in the (a) private, and (b) public sector, respectively.

§ Mr. John Morris
Exact figures are not available relating to those currently out of work and previously employed in the public or private sectors, but estimates can be made by categorising industries as being predominantly in one sector or the other. On this basis, at June 1975, the latest date for which information is available, 8,248 persons previously employed in the public sector were registered as unemployed; the corresponding figure for those previously engaged by the private sector was 42,958.

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF WELSH EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED) IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR INDUSTRIES^*†
									Thousands (at June each year
	Number of employees	Change between	Number of employees	Change between	Number of employees	Change between	Estimated total change
	1960	1969	1960 and 1969	1969	1971	1969 and 1971	1971	1973	1971 and 1973	1960 to 1973
Public sector employment:
Mining and quarrying	105.3	57.0	-48.3	57.0	46.7	-10.3	48.8	43.3	-5.5	-64.1
Manufacturing:
Iron and steel	—	74.6	+74.6	74.6	70.2	+4.4	72.8	69.5	-3.3	+66.9
Other manufacturing	1.2	1.0	-0.2	1.0	1.1	+0.1	1.4	1.3	-0.1	-0.2
Gas, electricity and water	19.6	22.9	+3.3	22.9	21.6	-1.3	20.3	19.2	-1.1	+0.9
Transport and communication	64.7	49.4	-15.3	48.8	49.6	+1.1	47.4	44.3	-3.1	-17.3
Professional and scientific services	83.3	116.1	+32.8	116.3	120.1	+3.8	124.4	133.6	+9.2	+45.8
Public administration and defence (excluding members of H.M. Forces)	62.0	65.9	+3.9	66.0	63.9	-2.1	78.4	82.3	+3.9	+5.7
Total	336.1‡	386.9‡	+50.8‡	386.6	372.2	-13.1	393.5	393.5	—	+37.7‡
Private sector employment:
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	24.7	14.4	-10.3	14.4	12.1	-2.3	28.4	28.5	+0.1	-12.5
Mining and quarrying	7.7	5.3	-2.4	5.3	4.3	+1.0	3.8	3.6	-0.2	-3.6
Manufacturing:
Iron and steel	72.2	—	-72.2	—	—	—	—	—	—	-72.2
Other manufacturing	226.3	267.7	+41.4	268.4	280.5	+12.1	261.5	266.1	+4.6	+58.1
Construction	76.1	76.1	—	76.0	77.6	+1.6	77.3	80.8	+3.5	+5.1
Transport and communication.	15.4	16.0	+0.6	16.1	15.6	-0.5	18.0	18.9	+0.9	+1.0
Distributive trades	103.9	95.6	-8.3	101.3	95.4	-5.9	99.6	104.0	+4.4	-9.8
Insurance, banking and finance (and business services)	14.1	16.8	+2.7	19.3	20.1	+0.8	24.1	26.3	+2.2	+5.7
Professional and scientific services	8.4	10.2	+1.8	10.1	10.5	+0.4	10.9	12.9	+2.0	+4.2
Miscellaneous services.	75.9	78.2	+2.3	75.7	76.7	+1.0	80.2	93.1	+12.9	+16.2
Total	624.7‡	580.32‡	-44.4‡	586.6	592.3	+6.2	603.8	634.2	+30.4	-7.8‡
^* The public sector is defined as consisting of minimum list headings (1968 SIC) 101, 311 (from 1967), 342, 396 (from 1968), 601–3, 701–2, 706–8, 872, 874, 901, 906.
† Changes both in the classification of industries and the method of compiling employment estimates, from 1971 onwards, make comparison of employment levels between the years 1960 and 1973 difficult. For this reason changes in numbers employed are given only for periods when there are no breaks in the comparability of the series. The total change estimates shown in the final column are the sums of changes for the three periods, and consequently should only be viewed as orders of magnitude.
‡ Overall employment levels in the two sectors during the period 1960 to 1969 are considerably affected by the nationalisation of the steel industry during 1967 and to a far lesser extent by the opening of the Royal Mint in the following year.

Thousands
		Males	Females
Public sector	…	251.0	137.0
Private sector	…	385.1	227.3